Year 1011, Heaven’s Sovereign Peak, Hundred Sky Mountain
At the back of the mountain, a colossal arena enclosed by towering walls on all sides had been erected. Upon these walls, thousands of spectators from every sect had gathered for the Azure Sky Competition, an event held only once a year and celebrated more like a grand festival within the Hundred Sky Mountains.
At the open ground below stood Javier, one of the royal wardens of the Snowbane Sect.
With a booming voice infused with Soulforce, Javier announced, "Everyone, stand and bow! The King and Queen of Hundred Sky Mountains, Aurelion El Snowbane and Lunaria El Snowbane, are entering the arena!"
His resounding voice rendered most of the crowd silent. Except for the mbers of the Rockbane and Flabane Sects, the people rose from their seats as an overwhelming Soulforce pressure descended upon the arena.
A mont later, two figures erged from the sky, slowly descending through the clouds. Beneath their feet, an invisible platform ford as they walked downward as though stepping upon unseen stairs.
The handso man, bearing long silver hair, was adorned in a silken white robe. His eyes were sharp like those of a beast, and his face was sculpted with perfect symtry, earning him the title of the most handso man in Vyoman. Upon his forehead rested a silver circlet that marked his identity as the King of Hundred Sky Mountains.
Beside him walked a silver-haired woman of breathtaking beauty, descending with a grace that embodied her sovereign stature. Clad in a robe identical to his, a delicate silver circlet adorned her forehead as well, a radiant emblem of her authority as Queen.
When the duo approached the arena walls, the people offered a deep bow in reverence.
The duo moved toward the tallest tower of the arena, from which all the surrounding walls connected and encircled the central ground.
At the summit of this tower stood the thrones of the King and Queen, accompanied by eight additional seats positioned parallel to them at a slightly lower level.
Once the royal pair were seated, Nyria and Doran, the Princess and Prince, arrived and occupied the vacant seats on either side of them.
Only after the King and Queen had taken their seats did the people in the arena lift their heads.
Following them, the Sect Masters entered the tower: Sylvaris El Flowerbane, Tartaglia El Waterbane, Titan El Rockbane, Barbatos El Windbane, and Aethon El Flabane. Each greeted Aurelion before taking their respective seats.
The final vacant seat was claid by the Ancestor of the Thunderbane Sect, Robert El Thunderbane.
"Master Robert, I am pleased to see you in good health," said Barbatos with a sly smile.
"Thank you for your concern, Lord Barbatos," Robert replied with a nod.
"Have you recently achieved a breakthrough?" Barbatos inquired.
"The heavens do not wish for to retire just yet," Robert answered. Fixing Titan with narrowed eyes for a brief mont before looking away, he continued, "I must ensure that the souls of my fallen people rest peacefully before I leave this body."
"But the Thunderbanes fell in war, an end befitting their warrior bloodline," Barbatos said. "I do not believe their souls are unrestful."
Robert’s eyes darkened at Barbatos’s remark, but before he could respond, Aurelion spoke in a deep and icy tone, "Guard your tongue, Lord Barbatos. It is the cause of most conflicts in this world."
"Oh, I beg your forgiveness, Your Majesty," Barbatos replied with a bow, though his deanor betrayed no genuine remorse.
---
While the leaders of each sect conversed in the lofty tower, the inner and core disciples began entering the arena below. They offered respectful greetings to the leaders above before moving toward the side walls.
The last to enter were the disciples of the Thunderbane and Flowerbane Sects, who curiously arrived together.
On one side stood the exquisite disciples of the Flowerbane Sect, each unparalleled in her beauty. On the other were the Thunderbanes, who, unlike the previous year, carried an unusual calmness in their deanor as they walked.
However, the individuals who drew the greatest attention were U and Lucifer, who led the procession.
U captivated the crowd with her enchanting beauty, while Lucifer drew attention due to the blindfold he wore.
The mont they stepped into the arena, Aurelion’s eyes narrowed. He slowly rose from his seat and moved toward the edge of the tower.
"I have not seen those two before," Aurelion said. "Who are they?"
"The lady’s na is Kitsune, Your Majesty," Sylvaris inford him. "She is the cultivator who ascended thirty-seven thousand steps in the Trials of Sky Mountains. As for the man..."
"His na is Lucifer Morningstar," Robert interjected. "The two joined the sect together."
"Lucifer Morningstar..." Aurelion murmured, his gaze remaining fixed upon the blindfolded man below. After a brief pause, he returned to his seat without another word.
His reaction left everyone unsettled. Why would Aurelion, who typically remained indifferent to this competition of young cultivators, suddenly take interest in these two?
"Lucifer Morningstar? Is he not the hot-blooded youth who wiped out El Dorado in the Abandoned Lands so ti ago?" Tartaglia remarked, stroking his chin.
Aside from his foolish habit of relentlessly courting Sylvaris, Tartaglia was also known for staying well inford about events across the Western Continent, so his awareness of the incident in the Abandoned Lands ca as no surprise.
"There is nothing impressive about destroying so naless organization in a land of weaklings," Titan scoffed. "He is rely an Awakened Sage, still inexperienced. He would not withstand a single exchange against my sect’s disciples."
"Choose your words carefully, Lord Titan," Robert said with a faint smile. "You may embarrass yourself."
"Your mockery is hardly amusing, Master Robert," Titan muttered, his eyes narrowing.
As the two exchanged veiled barbs, Lunaria asked softly, once Aurelion had resud his seat, "Is sothing amiss, my dear?"
With a grave expression and a voice low enough that only Lunaria could hear, he replied, "That Flowerbane disciple is concealing her true Soulforce.
She is not human."
Shifting his gaze towards Lucifer once more, he continued, "As for that man, he is..."
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